Door lock



Dec. 8, 1964 G. CHIEGER ETAL DOOR LOCK Filed June 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1964 G. CHIEGER ETAL 3,160,433

DOOR LOCK Filed June 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ijarrzcvzaw.

United States Patent 3,160,433 DOOR LOCK George Chieger, Birmingham, and Harold J. Borneman, Detroit, Mich, assignors to Frnehanf Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Filed June 18, 1963, Ser. No. 288,785 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-241) This invention relates generally to door locks and more particularly to an improved shrouded anti-rack door lock for van-type highway vehicles and the like.

The forces to which the doors and door frames of vantype vehicles are subjected are known in the art as racking forces. These forces tend to move the doors vertically relative to one another and to the door frame. Because the doors and door frames of such van-type vehicles are generally utilized to insure the structural integrity of the van, the locks for the doors of such vehicles must be of relatively strong construction in order to withstand the racking forces and positively retain the doors properly closed within their door frames.

Door locks characteristically transfer racking forces from the door panels to the door frame through the closing and locking elements of the lock and thence through the connecting bars extending between vertically aligned locks. However, subjection of the locking elements and connecting bars of the door lock to such racking forces results in premature wear and flexure thereof, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the locking elements and connecting bars in closing and locking the door and thus, the ability of the door to impart structural rigidity to the van of the vehicle. Further, tolerance and operating clearance requirements inherently necessary in the locking elements and connecting bars in order to implement operation thereof, tend to reduce the ability of the lock to transfer racking forces to the door frame.

The foregoing problems are solved in part by a door lock in accordance with application Serial No. 185,429 filed April 5, 1962 and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention. A door lock in accordance with the aforesaid application imparts the inherent lateral rigidity of the door panels to the door frame by transferring racking forces through an anti-rack element. The

racking forces between the door and door frame are I absorbed by the anti-rack elements of the door lock, thereby relieving the locking tongues and connecting bars from the racking forces. In other words, the locking function of the lock is segregated from the anti-rack function.

However, it has been found that the high humping loads due to, for example, railroad piggyback operation, places considerable outward loads on trailer doors and their hardware. These high loads tend to bend the lock connecting bars or shafts.

In addition, the offset force applied to the lock cam finger creates a moment tending to twist the lock connecting bars in an opening direction. If, as disclosed in the aforesaid application the bars are locally flattened to accommodate the complementary flats of the lock handle, this flattened portion of the bars becomes twisted with heavy torque loads so that the door cannot be carnmed tight.

Further, such locks are relatively susceptible to icing and damage by collision.

An improved door lock in accordance with the instant invention comprises a lock frame that is rigidly mounted on the door panel. The frame has a central bore therein for journaling of the connecting bar or shaft at two axially spaced points. A locking element or tongue extends radially outwardly from the connecting bar for engagement with a box-like element on a keeper fixture. Cooperation between the locking tongue and keeper ele- 3,160,433 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 ments cam the door to the closed condition and retain the door in said closed condition.

Further, an improved cam finger configuration materially reduces any twisting or opening moment on the connecting bar.

An anti-rack shroud is formed integrally with the lock frame for engagement over a complementary outer surface of the keeper fixture. Racking forces between the door and door frame are absorbed by the antirack shroud, thereby relieving the locking elements and connecting bars from racking loads. The shroud also protects the locking tongue against ice accumulation, impact, damage, etc.

Accordingly, one object of the instant invention is an improved door lock.

Another object of the instant invention is a door lock that segregates closing forces operative thereon from the racking forces to which the lock is subjected.

Another object is a door lock wherein racking forces between the door and frame are absorbed by a rigid anti-rack shroud on the door that is enga-geable over a complementary element on a keeper fixture on the door frame.

Another object of the instant invention is a door lock that supports the outboard ends of the connecting bar that extends between aligned door locks.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent in the following specification, claims and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear view of a van-type vehicle having the improved door locks of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view taken within the circle 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the locking tongue; and,

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

As best seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a plurality of improved door locks 10, in accordance with an exemplary constructed embodiment of the instant invention are shown operatively associated with the rear door panels 12 and 14 and door frame 16 of a van-type vehicle 13. The doors 12 and 14, door frame 16, and van 18 are conventional in construction.

A pair of connecting bars 22 and 24 connect vertically aligned pairs of the locks 10 and have handles 26 and 28 thereon to facilitate rotation of the locking elements of the locks 10, as will be described.

The door locks 10 are of like construction except that they are of left and righthand orientation. Thus, for the purpose of clarity only one of the door locks 10 will be described hereinafter.

As best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, each lock 10 comprises a frame 39 made of, for example, cast steel, having vertically alignedwbores 40 and 41 therein for the acceptance of a lower end 42 of the connecting bar 22 and lower end portion 43 of a tongue element 44, respectively. An upper end 45 of the tongue element 44 is secured within a central bore 46 in the connecting bar 22, as by welding.

The frame portion 30' of the lock 10 is secured to the door'12 as by a plurality of bolts 50 which extend through complementary apertures in the door 12. The frame portion 30 is positively located relative to the door 12 by a pair of enlarged bosses 52 and 54 which extend through complementary apertures 56 and 58 on the door 12 to accept shear forces therebetween." r

The locking tongue element 44 has a radially exten-din tongue portion 60 with outwardly convergent upper and lower surfaces 62 and 64, respectively, for acceptance under a tongue keeper element 66 on a keeper fixture 63. The keeper fixture 68 is secured to the frame 16, as by welding. The tongue keeper element 66 has tapered sura faces '76 and 72 complementary to the surfaces 62 and 64 on the tongue 60. V

As-best seen in FIG. 3, the tongue keeper element 66 on the fixture 68 has an arcuate face 74 to effect a camming action with a complementary curved surface 78 on the tongue portion 6% of the tongue element 44. As the door 12 is swung toward the closed position with respect the frame 16, an outer end portion 82 of the tongue ft engages behind the arcuate surface 74 on the tongue keeper element 66 of the keeper fixture 68. Subsequent ."otation of the connecting bar 22 and locking tongue element 44 earns the door 12 to the closed condition with respect to the door frame 16. It is to be noted that the nearing point between the tongue 60 and tongue keeper element 65 is relatively closely spaced to the axis of rotation of the tongue element 44 to minimize any openng moment on the element Mr due to rearwardly shifting oads on the doors 1 2"and 14. V

In accordance with one feature of the instant'invention be lower end 43 of the tongue element'44l is journaled n the bore 41 in the frame 39. Thus, the tongueelement S4 is supported at two axially spaced points to preclude )ending or cantingthereof.

In accordance with another feature of the instant invenion, the lock frame 3tl is providedwith an integral rearo the frame 16 and precluding subsequent relative, vertical novement therebetween.

It should be apparent that, because the anti-rack hroud 100 on the frame 30 and anti-rack? keeper elenent 68 on the door frame 16 absorb vertical shear forces etween the door 12 and frame 16, the tongue element 44 nd connecting bar 22 that extends between the vertically ligned locks 10 are not subjected to vertical loads upon 1e tendencyof the door 12 to move vertically relative J the frame 16. In other words, the locking tongue lement 44 is utilized solely for a closingand locking Jnction, whereas the anti-rac shroud 100 and com lementary keeper 68 provide the anti-rack function. lccordingly, the locking tongue element 44 and locking ar 22 can, in effect, float vertically relative to the frame it of the lock 10, thereby eliminating the deleteriouswear nd flexure.

From the foregoing description it should be apparent rat the instant invention solves the problem of minimizlg the effect of rearwardly directed loads on the door ml: by providing'the tongue portion of the tongue ele- V trough the bearing point of the tongue element on the 1 vngue keeper element. Thus, rearwardly directed loads 1 the doors of the van have a relatively small moment 1 the tongue element thereby minimizing the tendency f such shifting loads to open the doors. In addition the lroud on the door lock substantially encloses the keeper and tongue elements to minimize the effects of ice, snow etc..as well as serve an anti-rack function.

Yet another feature of the door lock of the instant invention is that the tongue element thereof is supported at two axially spaced points to preclude bending thereof.

It is to be understood that the specific construction of the improved door lock herein disclosed and described are presented for the purpose of explanation and illustration and are not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims. a

What is claimed is: 1. An anti-rack door lock for a vehicle having a door 7 pivotally supported within a complementary door frame,

relative to the door frame and a tongue keeper elev ment spaced from said door frame, and

a locking tongue element rotatably supported by said lock frame at two axially spaced points and movable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition, said locking tongue element having a tongue portion engageablewith the tongue keeper element on said keeper fixture to retainthe door in the locked condition. I I 2. An anti-rack door lock for a vehicle having a door pivotally supported within a complementary door frame, said lock comprising a lock frame rigidly attached to the vehicle door having a box-like shroud overlying the door frame, the

shroud on said frame having an aperture facing the door frame and an outwardly divergent truncated conical internal recess therein,

a keeper fixture rigidly attached to the door frame having atruncated conical portion complementary to the shroud on said lock frame and acceptable therein to absorb racking forces having a vector generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the door relative to the door frame and a tongue keeper element spaced from said door frame, and

a locking tongue element having a tongue portion rotatably supported by said lock frame on opposite sides of the tongue portion, the tongue portion of said locking tongue element having an arcuate-portion cngageable with a complementary arcuate portion on the tongue keeper element on said keeper fixture to retain the-door in the locked condition, the shroud on said lock frame substantially enclosing said keeper fixture, and locking tongue element when the door is in the closed condition relative to said door frame.

35A door lock in accordance with claim 2 wherein the arcuate portion of said locking tongue element extends relatively closely to the axis of rotation of said tongue element to minimize thev opening moment of the tongue keeper element thereon when the door is in the closed condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,301,444

Olander Nov. 10, 1942 2,861,830 Bennett Nov. 25, 1958 3,099,473

Pastva July 30, 1963 

1. AN ANTI-RACK DOOR LOCK FOR A VEHICLE HAVING A DOOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED WITHIN A COMPLEMENTARY DOOR FRAME, SAID LOCK COMPRISING A LOCK FRAME RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE DOOR HAVING A BOX-LIKE SHROUD OVERLYING THE DOOR FRAME, THE SHROUD ON SAID FRAME HAVING AN APERTURE FACING THE DOOR FRAME AND AN OUTWARDLY DIVERGENT TRUNCATED CONICAL INTERNAL RECESS THEREIN, A KEEPER FIXTURE RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE DOOR FRAME HAVING A TRUNCATED CONICAL PORTION COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SHROUD ON SAID LOCK FRAME AND ACCEPTABLE THEREIN TO ABSORB RACKING FORCES HAVING A VECTOR GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE DOOR RELATIVE TO THE DOOR FRAME AND A TONGUE KEEPER ELEMENT SPACED FROM SID DOOR FRAME, AND A LOCKING TONGUE ELEMENT ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID LOCK FRAME AT TWO AXIALLY SPACED POINTS AND MOVABLE BETWEEN A LOCKED CONDITION AND AN UNLOCKED CONDITION, SAID LOCKING TONGUE ELEMENT HAVING A TONGUE PORTION ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TONGUE KEEPER ELEMENT ON SAID KEEPER FIXTURE TO RETAIN THE DOOR IN THE LOCKED CONDITION. 